Then he shouted to Bennett: "Three steam whalers off the foot of the
floe, sir; boat putting off! What orders, sir?"

Bennett looked at him stupidly, as yet without definite thought.

"What did you say?"

The men in the sleeping-bags, roused by Adler's shout, sat up and
listened stolidly.

"Steam whalers?" said Bennett slowly. "Where? I guess not," he added,
shaking his head.

Adler was swaying in his place with excitement.

"Three whalers," he repeated, "close in. They've put off--oh, my God!
Listen to that."

The unmistakable sound of a steamer's whistle, raucous and prolonged,
came to their ears from the direction of the coast. One of the men broke
into a feeble cheer. The whole tent was rousing up. Again and again came
the hoarse, insistent cry of the whistle.

"What orders, sir?" repeated Adler.

A clamour of voices filled the tent.

Ferriss came quickly up to Bennett, trying to make himself heard.

"Listen!" he cried with eager intentness, "what I told you--a while
ago--about Lloyd--I thought--it's all a mistake, you don't understand--"

Bennett was not listening.

"What orders, sir?" exclaimed Adler for the third time.

Bennett drew himself up.

"My compliments to the officer in command. Tell him there are six of us
left--tell him--oh, tell him anything you damn please. Men," he cried,
his harsh face suddenly radiant, "make ready to get out of this! We're
going home, going home to those who love us, men."

III.

As Lloyd Searight turned into Calumet Square on her way from the
bookseller's, with her purchases under her arm, she was surprised to
notice a drop of rain upon the back of one of her white gloves. She
looked up quickly; the sun was gone. On the east side of the square,
under the trees, the houses that at this hour of the afternoon should
have been overlaid with golden light were in shadow. The heat that had
been palpitating through all the City's streets since early morning was
swiftly giving place to a certain cool and odorous dampness. There was
even a breeze beginning to stir in the tops of the higher elms. As the
drops began to thicken upon the warm, sun-baked asphalt under foot Lloyd
sharply quickened her pace. But the summer storm was coming up rapidly.
By the time she reached the great granite-built agency on the opposite
side of the square she was all but running, and as she put her key in
the door the rain swept down with a prolonged and muffled roar.

She let he